Anyone use an ash vacuum?

[Attjack]

Seems like something I might want. Can anyone recommend one?

[tbob4]

Kubota. From Costco. Low price - high volume and has a filter that is easily replaced. Love it. My old small volume shop vac did a good job for everything BUT ash. Finding a replacement filter was impossible, as well.

[Willy]

If'n you do buy one, just be sure there are NO live embers, elsewise you'll burn up your purchase. Live embers can hide VERY well at times.

Do you own a ShopVac? Multipurpose tool.

[Spinaker]

As Willy alludes to, I would make sure that ash is stirred up and cool to the touch. Those embers do like to hide.

[Spinaker]

Gracias! Willy

[Troutman]

Yea no kidding on the ash cooling. I nearly burnt down my garage over just such an incident.

[Willy]

Heck, here in the great SW, we just say grassy-ass. LOL

[Jon Solberg]

No I can't. Don't buy that for you kettle. BUT if you get it I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. : )

[JeffJ]

Is it really necessary in a Weber kettle? The system that is built-in works very well based upon my extended experience.

[Troutman]

I'm with you one this one. The Weber grill shown has an ash collection system at the bottom that empties into some sort of disposable container. All a shop vac would do is collect the same ash into the shop vac and empty into some disposable container. Am I missing something here? Might be good for a Big Green Egg, or something hard to get at but not a Weber imho.

[Attjack]

Is it really necessary? No. But it might be helpful. I do have a shop vac, but I'm talking about a vacuum specifically designed to clean out fireplaces that can handle some minor amounts of burning embers. It's the kind of thing you would use the next day, not right after grilling. Something like this.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/PowerSmith-Ash-Vacuum-PAVC101/203656953

PowerSmith

Ash Vacuum
Powerful 10 amp motor

Product Overview

The PowerSmith PAVC101 Ash Vacuum is specifically designed to clean warm and cool ash out of fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves and barbecue grills, something that household vacuum cleaners and regular utility vacs cannot do. The secret is the two-layer filter. The outer layer is heat resistant, allowing the machine to pick up warm ash up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The inner layer is designed to trap the finest dust and ash. The metal hose and canister on the PowerSmith ash vacuum make the whole machine heat-resistant. And just in case, the motor has an auto-shutoff feature which turns off the machine if heat inside the canister ever reaches dangerous levels. A powerful 10 Amp motor is another reason why this ash vacuum doesn’t clog like the competition. But it runs at a quiet noise level of only 79 dB. The 5.2 Gal. canister holds up to 3 Gal. of ashes. An ash level indicator shows how full the canister is at any time. The PowerSmith ash vacuum comes equipped with extension wands and a floor and carpet nozzle so it can be used as a regular utility vac. Casters and a 16 ft. extension cord give you lots of mobility. And if you switch the hose from the intake PORT to the exhaust outlet, this vacuum turns into a blower. Three tools in one: an ash vacuum, a utility vac and a blower.

• Quiet and powerful 10 Amp motor
• Specifically designed to clean warm and cool ash out of fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves, and barbecue grills
• Washable and replaceable heat-resistant filter system filters out fine dust and ash
• Heat resistant metal hose and metal canister
• Canister holds up to 3 Gal. of ashes
• Additional accessories, casters and a 16 foot cord allow use as a regular shop vac
• Connecting the hose to air outlet allows use as a blower
• Convenient onboard accessory storage and top carrying handle
• Includes metal hose, metal nozzle, wheeled base, 2 straight extension wands, brush nozzle, turbo nozzle, and 1 filter
• ETL listed
• 2 year limited warranty

$64.34 /each

[Willy]

Embers are WAYYY hotter than 140°F

[tbob4]

When you first asked I didn't think you were asking about hot ash. I have never used one for hot ash. I have tays to catch ash in my uprights and the plate in the Kamado. Yet, they still all leave considerable ash. I have never attempted to clean hot.

[JCGrill]

I use a small shop vac for my pellet grill when I clean it up, but I don't bother with the Weber. I've never felt like it needed to be completely ash-free.

[Attjack]

Maybe I need to get over it. lol

[jgreen]

For the kettle, I just use an old paint brush to sweep the ash into the collector basket below and then empty from there. Seems to get almost all the ash out.

[rodkeary]

Paint brush for me as well. Works perfectly.

[Hulagn1971]

I do this as well.

[DWCowles]

I used the shop vac to clean the ashes from the bottom of my RecTec and the firebox on my Lang. I have also been known to used it on the Weber kettle every now and then.

[choffert]

I use an old shop vac for day after vacuuming of the pellet smoker...making sure it's out. I even fashioned a 'chip' collector to use inline to vacuum out pellets when switching or storing...a 5 gallon bucket lid from Lowes (I use 5 gal buckets to store pellets) with two fittings, one with a screen over the end that connects to the shopvac and another to a smaller hose which is used to remove pellets from the hopper. Clean, fast, who need a dump chute? I even get the ones down in the auger tube if I want. I'd post a pic if I weren't technically challenged...

[Steve B]

I use this for all of my ash cleaning. But I never vacuum out until the next day. This way everything has died down. It works great!!

[Attjack]

So I'm not completely crazy.

[Steve B]

Attjack Absolutely not brother. Well you might be crazy. I don't know. Haaaa. Nah this vacuum so far has worked great. Maybe I'm a little anal about trying to keep my cookers clean but it does work.

[dshaffes]

Shop vac is great for my pellet. I bought one at HD pretty cheap and it's lightweight and easy to use. Never used on my Weber as I think their ash cleaning system works fine.

[JeffJ]

IMO it's completely unnecessary for the kettles in your pic.

[Attjack]

Is it really necessary in a Weber kettle? The system that is built-in works very well based upon my extended experience.

I have a SnS plus on a 26" Kettle. I foil the lower grate where the SnS does not sit, and use a drip pan to keep the foil clean. The next day there's some left over charcoal in the SnS and lots of ash. So I take out the charcoal, and try to carefully lift the SnS out so I can dump the ash, or I try to force the ash through the holes in the SnS. I try not to get ash on the foiled grate. Then I lift out the SnS remove the grate, and use the weber system, and a hand broom (because the weber system doesn't really remove all the ash) to get the ash into the collection system trying not to get ash up on the sides of the kettle. Then I wipe the entire inside of the kettle clean. Every time.

It would be nice to sometimes just remove the charcoal, vacuum the SnS, slide the ash collector back and forth a few times, and not remove the lower grate or have to wipe the entire kettle.

I also could use the dedicated vacuum in the outdoor kitchen for other tasks.

[Hulagn1971]

After reading this, I'm wondering how many times a day you wash your hands and how much Purell you go through, lol.

[Attjack]

Hey some people have a higher tolerance for filth than others. I clean my grill after I use it which I think is probably good practice. I've seen some disgusting grills. As far as washing my hands I do it after handling food or using the bathroom. I shower everyday as well.